EFFECT

Short Description:The Employee Focused Feedback and Continuous improvement Team (EFFECT) was formed in 2012, with the intent of transitioning a dysfunctional work culture to one that was respectful and values-focused. The initiative was implemented following a vision workshop that revealed serious issues around employee morale, communication and teamwork, and the necessity to prioritize cultural transformation work. To make the culture shift, management created EFFECT, a coordinating committee tasked with leading our transformation work by:
• Conducting workshops to develop values for staff to live by;
• Establishing value-supportive behaviours;
• Holding each other accountable;
• Establishing formal recognition activities, and socials;
• Providing opportunities for staff input and improved communications;
• Providing ongoing training and team building; and
• Modeling the desired workplace culture.
Since the EFFECT work began, a significant culture shift has taken place. We have increased productivity, enhanced efficiency, improved service delivery, and become a cohesive and collaborative team.

Detailed Description:Service Delivery:
Both qualitative and quantitative data indicates that service delivery at the Recreation and Culture Department has improved since EFFECT was implemented. Numbers prove our program registration has increased. The management of Strathcona Regional District (that we partner with on multiple initiatives) has shared that our staff lead by example, make their jobs easier when they use our facilities, and are extremely accommodating and pleasant to work with. Staff from other City of Campbell River departments has noticed internal customer service improvements, and some managers are exploring the potential for bringing the program to their departments. Numerous members of the public have sent thank you cards and taken the time to let us know they have noticed enhanced customer service, and are appreciative of the improvements. One staff member remarked, “Happy staff equals happy customers. We have increased our connections with the community, we are meeting needs better, communicating better—both inside and out—and because we are spending less time in conflict, we are more efficient and better able to serve the public.”

Organizational Development:
According to one staff member, “EFFECT is all about organizational development.” Since implementing EFFECT, all workshops and training have been linked to the EFFECT initiative. A recent workshop pertaining to having authentic conversations provided staff members with tools to better serve the public. The workshop also helped staff enhance their ability to collaborate. A staff member shared, “EFFECT has given us a common language, and skills to settle disputes and work through things. Values are lived, rather than just being stuck on a wall. Workshops reinforce our values and are a reminder of what we are here to do for the public and each other.” Many staff have shared that the tools and methods learned at the workshop are now being applied in their personal lives. As a result of EFFECT, Managers are continually working to improve communication and interactions with employees. In one case a manager who was chronically late for meetings committed to being on time, which staff has indicated leads to a workplace that feels more respectful. Managers have gotten better at asking for staff input, including for this award application, and everyone is benefiting from staff recommendations. One staff member said, “I appreciate being asked for input on how the Recreation Department operates, and I have noticed turn out to staff events and workshops has increased.” All staff agrees that, as a result of EFFECT, there is less internal conflict, better two-way communication between team members, and an enhanced understanding and acceptance of organizational change.

Economic Impact:
Since the EFFECT team work began in 2012, revenue has increased. From 2012 to 2013 department revenues went up by 5% and from 2013 to 2014 department revenues increased by 8%. In addition, during 2014, associated with the EFFECT work, the Department undertook a staff and public consultation to revisit our service priorities. Based on input, Department priorities were updated and work groups were realigned to enable us to be more responsive to public needs and wants, which in turn, increased revenues.Also resulting from the realignment, one staff member has a new position. She is now working as the Parks and Special Event Program Coordinator. In this role she works with the local tourism department and community groups, to support events that contribute to the community and attract out-of-town visitors. In addition, through this work a marketing position was created. We anticipate the work of the Marketing and Administration Supervisor and the Special Event Program Coordinator will contribute to further increasing revenue for the Recreation Department and the community and that results will becoming apparent in the next few years.This year, the City of Campbell River Recreation Department, through a system of pubic voting, won the Campbell River Mirror newspaper Best Gym Award (there are at least eight gyms in the City). We assume customer service, which has improved dramatically since the EFFECT work began, made a big contribution to us winning, and we anticipate the award will contribute to an increase in gym memberships and revenue this year.

Transparency:
As a result of EFFECT work, a new Departmental priority has emerged: continuous quality improvement. In 2014, to begin this work, we conducted a public consultation to discover the public perception of our Department, the relevance of our programs and services, and what gaps existed. We learned a great deal, and immediately began making changes in order to demonstrate our commitment to customer service and being accountable to the people we serve. New weekend programming was implemented, childcare started being offered parallel to a number of fitness classes and more unstructured and drop-in activity choices were offered to the public. We also reported out to the public on these changes through our recreation guide, and now we are continuing our public consultation through the informal channels of social media. One staff member has remarked, “Working in a values-based Department is making us more accountable. We are proud of what we do, and want to provide the best possible service we can. In the past, staff worked in silos, now we are collaborating with each other and expanding outward to better collaborate with the community, and deliver programs and service that the public needs and wants.”

Collaboration:
The EFFECT committee members represent all work groups, both of our facilities, management, and staff. Working collaboratively, they lead the EFFECT work, ensure sustainability, and introduce new ways of doing things. Recently the EFFECT committee suggested having an event to recognize auxiliary staff members, many who have worked with us for several years. Due to the nature of the Department’s work, many of the staff members are auxiliary workers (often referred to as casuals) and that they have never been formally recognized. As a result of the committee’s recommendation, an auxiliary recognition event will occur in September. Through EFFECT work, staff members have developed an appreciation for the roles and responsibilities of their colleagues, and a better understanding of the different work groups within the Department. Now, almost all Department meetings have representation of each work group, and the meetings are more solution-focused. In some cases, responsibilities have shifted from one work group to another. For example, formerly, Administration staff liaised with community groups renting our facilities for large events. Now this work is shared by Administration and the Facility Services Supervisor. As a result of this partnership, customers are receiving consistent and better service, and staff roles and responsibilities are clear. The Facility Services Supervisor shared, “We have moved from over promising and under delivering to always over delivering.”

Result:
Council and the Community Services Recreation and Culture Commission have both reviewed and supported the EFFECT work, through approving the re-allocation of resources and responsibilities.

Innovation:
The process for ensuring EFFECT sustainability is one of the things that make this initiative innovative. Eight of our seventy-five staff members (two members serve a nine month term and then are replaced by two new term members) come together, as the EFFECT Coordinating Committee each month to ensure momentum. They meet, via Skype, with an organizational development coach, who has worked with the department since the beginning. The coach provides an outside perspective; provides reminders of tools and methods that have been learned through EFFECT workshops; and helps staff continually apply and hone their skills. Also innovative is the skill-building workshops that have delivered throughout the process. It began with workshops focused on creating shared values, then workshops about creating behaviours that support the shared values, and recently workshops focused on enhancing communication skills through authentic communications. In between workshops, the skills learned are practiced, role modeled and applied with staff coaching each other and holding one anothe other accountable. The innovation is also about management’s commitment to staff involvement in the process. EFFECT takes time and effort, but results in a sustainable outcome that translates into a superior work environment and great customer service.

Sustainability:
Allocating funding to the EFFECT initiative, having eight staff lead the EFFECT work as members of a coordinating committee, having an organizational development coach attend monthly coordinating committee meetings, conducting regular workshops, and having staff committed to living the values every day, ensures the EFFECT initiative is sustainable. Two EFFECT Coordinating Committee members have nine month terms, which allow everyone, who wants to be involved, the chance to participate. This works well for staff, as one employee shared, “Having people work short terms on the EFFECT committee has made it easier to be involved.” Making EFFECT an everyday priority; living the values; holding each other accountable; committing staff time to the EFFECT initiative; allocating learning and development funding to the initiative; and involving an external organizational coach in mentoring us contributes to the EFFECT work being an integral part of our daily work and just as important as providing programs, cleaning buildings, and serving customers.

Best Practices:
The EFFECT work has involved the following best practices: -Conducting a Workplace Culture Assessment Staff shared values that are personally important to them. They discussed the values they perceived as being expressed in the workplace, and shared which values they felt necessary to embrace in order to make workplace improvements. -Having an Assessment Conversation After staff shared their values, the results were discussed, and staff determined areas that required focus. -Making Behaviour Commitments Staff committed to holding each other accountable for: expressing the department values through behaviours, seeking to understand, and learning from mistakes. -Measuring Results An area we are currently working on is developing a scorecard to measure the results of the EFFECT work. -Updating HR practices Hiring practices, and soon individual annual performance reviews, will be tied to values and associated behaviours. -Communicating We are continually working to improve how we communicate. Most Department meetings have representation from all workgroups. An EFFECT newsletter is published. Staff input is sought in all areas of our work. Department Bulletins have been initiated to help staff members understand when information needs their full attention and may require action on their part. -Reassessing The monthly meetings and an organizational coach help us continually assess and course correct the cultural transformation work we are doing. This commitment to sustainability is helping us continually evolve. One staff member shared “Staff members feel valued, and that results in them feeling proud of what they do and this translates into better service to the community.”

Transferability:
This initiative is transferable if management models the change they want to see, translates this change into all their interactions and work, leads by example, and commits staff time and resources to making EFFECT sustainable. There are a number of philosophies associated with workplace culture transformation, but the one that worked for us and the EFFECT initiative, involved seven best practices:
• Conducting a Workplace Culture Assessment
• Having an Assessment Conversation
• Making Behaviour Commitments
• Measuring Results
• Updating HR practices
• Communicating
• Reassessing
Around these best practices, local governments can hold staff workshops to introduce the individual practices, and create a coordinating committee to lead the EFFECT work.

Knowledge Sharing:
To achieve a workplace cultural transformation, we strongly recommend that local governments engage an outside coach to ensure success. Staff members have shared that finding a coach everyone enjoys has been very beneficial. The coach/facilitator helps everyone work through processes, he helps us apply what we have learned in workshops, and he assists staff is in seeing the potential and the strengths of the whole Recreation team. The coach is impartial, respected and well liked. We feel that by having a coach involved, the cultural transformation was expedited, and everyone is more accountable than if we had done the work on our own. EFFECT work takes a great deal of time, but the investment of both time and resources pays significant dividends. Staff members are much happier on-the-job; we are continually improving efficiency; both internal and external customers are getting much better service; and we are continually working to enhance how we serve the public.

Tell Us More:
Staff members shared: “When individuals in the department look to the good of the whole, it makes for a much more effective and healthier workplace no matter what level of government.” “I have noticed a real effort by everyone to make positive comments and suggestions, and staff members are working together more to ensure that we are offering the best service to our community.” Management believes that all the time involved, and the effort behind allocating staff learning and development resources differently, is well worth the reward. Being able to shift from a dysfunctional culture where people were unhappy and there were perceived inequities to one that is respectful, values-based and productive, is a team effort that can change the workplace, public perception and individual lives.